Embroidery-hoop.



W. 0. MAYNARD. EMBROIDERY HOOP.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9, 1907.

946,452; Patented Jan; 11, 1910.

enrrnn sraa rs PATENT carton WILLIAM C. MAYNARD, OF MIAMI, FLOR-IDA,ASSIGNOB TO THE GIBBS MANUFACTUR- ING- COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO.

EMBROIDERY-HOOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. MAYNARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Miami, county of Dade, State of Florida, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Embroidery-Hoops, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and complete disclosure.

This invention relates to embroidery hoops or rings adapted to telescopewith each other for the purpose of holding a piece of fabric or otherflexible material fiat, so that the latter may be conveniently heldwhile being embroidered or otherwise treated.

In the use of the hoops or rings it is required that the fabric beingheld be drawn tightly over the inner hoop or ring and held firmly at allpoints of the circumference of the surface being" embroidered orotherwise treated. It is also necessary that the fabric be clamped orheld in such a manner that the fabric and the embroidery or other matterupon the surface thereof shall not be injured or abraded. It istherefore necessary that one of the hoops shall have some means foreasily releasing its pressure or increasing its diameter so that thefabric may be easily and smoothly inserted between the hoops, afterwhich the clamping action will hold the fabric firmly without furtherinjurious frictional movement.

In the prior patent, No. 610,658, granted to me September 13, 1898, Ihave shown an embroidery hoop, the present application being for animprovement thereon.

Briefly stated, the improvement constituting this invention resides inplacing the split portion of the ring or hoop beneath the flat guide atone side of an elastic or arched spring attached to the ends of thehoop. In this construction, owing to the contact of the extreme ends ofthe split ring with the same portion of the guide said ends are held inalinement and also pressed down toward the center of the ring so as tobe maintained accurately and continuously in the line of the circleforming the main body of the ring or hoop, thus preventing the ends ofthe ring or hoop from springing from the fabric and allowing the same tobecome less tightly stretched at points beneath the spring.

For a full and exact description of one embodiment of my invention,which I at present deem preferable, reference may be had to thefollowing specification and to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9, 1907.

Patented J an. 11, 1910 Seria1 1\To. 396,577.

accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved embroidery hoop in use, and showing themanner in which the inner ring may be removed or inserted when carryingthe article upon which it is used; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of aportion of the inner and outer rings showin the manner of attaching theouter ring; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the outer ring,the inner, ring being removed.

In the drawing the numeral 1 indicates the inner ring and the numeral 2the outer one. These rings may be of any desired size, according to thesize of the surface and the character of the material being embroideredor otherwise treated. The rings 1. and 2 are of such relative diameterthat the inner surface of the outer ring 2 will contact with the outersurface of the inner ring 1 with the requisite degree of pressure whenin use. This degree of pressure may, of course, be regulated by theshape and character of the spring 3 attached to the outer ring 2. Thisspring is made in the shape indicated most clearly in Fig. 2 and has aflattened end portion 4 which substantially fits the curved periphery ofthe outer ring 2, and also a single bowed middle portion 5 projectingoutwardly from the surface of the outer ring 2. The split 6 in the outerring 2 is preferably a diagonal cut, and is placed so that the ends ofsaid ring will come beneath and be abutted by the flattened portion 4 ofthe spring 3.

IVhile the preferred form of my embroidery hoop, as shown, is providedwith a diagonal cut 6, yet, it will be understood that this out may betransverse, as will be obvious to a skilled mechanic. The outer ring,provided with a diagonal out, is, however, more advantageous, in that itprovides a more continuous binding surface against the fabric than whena transverse cut is used, for with the latter, when the fabric is inposition, the transverse cut would naturally be pulled apart to acertain extent, depending upon the thickness of the fabric, which wouldleave an open space between the cut ends of the hoop, which is liable tocause the fabric to pucker, since there is no part of the hoop bearingagainst it. But with the diagonal cut, this cannot occur.

From the above description, it will be obvious that when in use theflattened portion a of the bow-spring 3 will form a guide for theadjacent ends of the outer ring 2 and will also press the same towardthe inner ring 1, thereby clamping the material evenly and firmly at allpoints, thus making the outer ring practically continuous, while at thesame time permitting sufficient elasticity for contraction and expansionof the ring corresponding to the ditlerent thicknesses of the fabric,and also permitting the fabric to be easily removed and inserted bypressure upon the arch 5 of said'bow-spring 3, as indicated in Fig. 1,which pressure serves to expand the outer ring circumterentially and torelease the fabric atsubstantially all points around the inner ring.

It should be noted that the flattened portion & ot the spring 3, beingsecured to the outer ring 2, adjacent both ends of said ring, providesthe requisite firmness and;

rigidity to serve as a guide, While at the same time the flexibility ofthe elastic or bowed portion 5 of the spring 3 need not be decreased. Itwill therefore be seen that I have added a new function to the springshown in my prior patent, Without in any Way increasing the number ofparts or otherwise changing the device as shown in my prior patent abovereferred to, with the exception of making one end or flattened portionof the spring 3 longer, and placing the split portion of the ringbeneath the same.

Having thus described this form of my invention, What I claim, anddesire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

An embroidery hoop including a pair of rings adapted to be telescoped,the outer ring being severed to form adjacent ends, a controlling springconnecting the severed ends and having an outwardly-projectingsingle-bowed middle portion with an end portion flattened tosubstantially fit the ring, the flattened end portion of the springbeing arranged to abut the severed ends of the ring, whereby the outerhoop is loosened throughout its circumferential length by i pressure onthe spring.

XVILLIAM C. MAYNARD.

Witnesses RAY A. MoLnoD, C. L. HUDDLESTON.

